brickwork stained from hydrochloric acid

[deeman72]

hi everyone,

some advice required...

unfortunately last weekend i attempted to clean a section of exterior brickwork due to build up of algae from a removed plant. unaware of the procedures required when using hydrochloric brick cleaner i have now stained the bricks.

i have since attempted to wash and scrub the bricks with clean water but when dry - to no avail

is there anything i can try to remove or 'soften' the stains?? looks really unsightly and looking to have repointing work done soon. worried its going to spoil everything??

thanks in advance...

 

[^woody^]

I don't think you will remove this stain.

Washing the whole area with dirty water or soot water may do something to blend it in (or encouraging the algae back), but if you don't know what you are doing, you could make the wall look a whole lot worse

 

[deeman72]

is it worth trying a 50/50 bleach and water mix or fairy liquid??

 

[^woody^]

You can try scrubbing more of the wall around the stain, but it sounds like you have a bright bit or wall and darker wall around, and this will be hard to blend

 

[deeman72]

basically the bricks that i had applied the cleaner to have gone white. (lost their red colour)

when you wet the bricks it looks as if the marks have gone, but when they dry it returns!

it looks awful and to boot it's at the front of the house!! gutted!!

 

[stuart45]

Can you put a photo on?

 

[libby lou lou]

Could you not put a flat varnish on the damaged brick to make it blend in?

 

[deeman72]

i'm afraid that it's not just one brick! it's and 8'x5' section

will get some pics up tomorrow..

cheers